CINEMATIC STUDIO STRINGS

A powerful strings sample library for Kontakt Player

Cinematic Studio Strings is a library bursting with character. Featuring Australia’s finest musicians and meticulously recorded in a world-class scoring stage, CSS boasts a gorgeous sound, stunning true-to-life dynamics and a wide variety of articulations. With an intuitive and efficient GUI, CSS was created to meet the demands of working composers in today’s film, TV and video game industries. This outstanding orchestral strings library for Kontakt and Kontakt Player is available now at a very affordable price.

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New DawnAlex Wallbank1:42

ParkourAlex Wallbank1:21

SavannahAlex Wallbank3:06

Last WalkAlex Wallbank2:46

RememberingAlex Wallbank1:52

SkylineAlex Wallbank1:36

RingworldAlex Wallbank1:32

Features at a glance

Introducing Cinematic Studio Strings

CSS features a Hollywood-style string section, recorded in position in Australia’s premiere scoring stage – Trackdown. From the soaring colourful vibrato of the high violins to the dark and woody textures of the low cello and bass notes, you’ll be instantly inspired. Our aim was to create an instrument that’s instantly playable, sounds great out-of-the-box and is backed up by speedy customer support.

Groundbreaking Interface

At the heart of CSS is its cutting edge GUI, building on our previous critically-acclaimed library Cinematic Strings 2. This means a short-but-sweet patch list, easily assignable keyswitches and MIDI CCs, and a full mixer with output routing options plus reverb. These features and many others are all accessible via the main GUI page, you’ll have CSS working alongside you on your latest project within minutes.

Realistic and Expressive

CSS features a stunningly realistic legato engine. We painstakingly recorded true legato transitions for each note, up and down, including a beautiful portamento. We also recorded ‘re-bow’ samples, meaning you can play repeated legato notes smoothly and with true-legato realism. For more information please check out the Legato Introduction video in the Videos section below.

Live sound, no reverb required

With smooth legato, punchy spiccatos, inspiring textural harmonics and con sordino, CSS covers a wide range of the sound palette afforded by a world-class string section. We’ve kept an authentic, human element in the sound, so you’ll feel like you’re at a live session. With this new level of realism, you’ll feel comfortable using CSS without reverb; in fact, we recommend it! All of our demos were created without reverb – all you hear is the natural air captured in the samples.

Fully Mixed - Load and play

We used a variety of beautiful ribbon and condenser microphones to record CSS at three distances, which you can combine to create your own unique mix either inside Kontakt or via the newly included output-routing option. Alternatively, you can use our pre-mixed combination of all 3 if you want a great sound with fewer resources. Full and Lite Ensemble patches optimise workflow and are perfect for sketching or filling out a track.

Compatible with free Kontakt Player

Cinematic Studio Strings is fully compatible with the free Kontakt Player, and will work as a standalone product with no need to purchase additional software. Kontakt Player is available as a separate download from Native Instruments and can be downloaded free of charge by clicking here. CSS is also designed for use with the new exciting range of NKS Keyboards.

"CSS is an extremely expressive library, oozing quality with a Hollywood flavour. It has all the essential elements for creating detailed, realistic-sounding string arrangements, and is very quick to learn and easy to use."

"The sound is warm and the legato is lush. The trills programming is brilliant. No mod wheel up or down for major/minor. Simply play the interval you want on the keyboard. Love it!"

Jacob SheaPlanet Earth II

"Not only are these some of the best string samples around with an ample supply of critical articulations, but the interface in Kontakt is an epiphany of simplicity and intuitive ease for the busy composer. The price makes them a must for any serious media composer.“

Garry ShymanBioshock video game series

This is a truly gorgeous sounding library that is a joy to use. Alex nails workflow with his libraries!"

Danny LuxGrey's Anatomy

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Articulations

LEGATO, INCLUDING LEGATO REPETITION AND PORTAMENTO

SPICCATO

STACCATISSIMO

STACCATO

SFORZANDO

PIZZICATO, INCLUDING BARTOK SNAPS

COL LEGNO

HARMONICS

TREMOLO

TRILLS (HALF AND WHOLE TONE)

MEASURED TREMOLO (TREMOLO SYNC AND FREE SYNC)

MARCATO/FAST RUNS

CON SORDINO EMULATION (WHOLE LIBRARY)

Videos & Tutorials

ARTICULATION WALKTHROUGH

TECHNICAL WALKTHROUGH

LEGATO TUTORIAL

Yes, the library is available by direct download, as this is the cheapest and most environmentally friendly way to distribute CSS. And thanks to our Advanced Download Manager, you can be assured you’ll get your library as quickly as your internet connection will allow.

All of our libraries run inside the Kontakt sampler (full or free version), and therefore you require a good understanding of how Kontakt works before purchasing any of our libraries. Usually Kontakt is run as a plugin within a DAW such as Cubase or Logic (it runs inside all major DAWs). If you are new to Kontakt you can download the free version (Kontakt Player) here: https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/samplers/kontakt-6-player/. Just download “Komplete Start” and you will get instructions for installing Kontakt Player as well as factory library with 2,000 sounds and 6 GB of content. This is a great way to familiarise yourself with the platform, and once you’re comfortable with how Kontakt integrates into your setup, using our libraries should be a straightforward progression from there.

You should be comfortable with MIDI sequencing and editing, and although our libraries work without a MIDI keyboard, we thoroughly recommend using one. We are a small team and I’m afraid that while we support our products we cannot provide MIDI tutorials and tech support for Kontakt, various DAWs etc. Please inquire via the Support button if you’d like any further clarification.

Yes, the library is available by direct download, as this is the cheapest and most environmentally friendly way to distribute CSS. And thanks to our Advanced Download Manager, you can be assured you’ll get your library as quickly as your internet connection will allow.

Yes, provided both machines are owned and used solely by you for the production of music. The best way to install CSS on another machine is to copy the CSS folder from the first to the second computer via an external HD. Once you have done that, you will need to run through the same installation process as you would have when you originally installed it, i.e. click “add library,” and then locate the CSS folder. You will also then need to click “authorise” and enter your serial number, so your second installation will be registered in our database.

There is a detailed installation guide in the email you received at the time of purchase. If you cannot find this email, please check your spam folder to make sure it isn’t there. If you have any further questions regarding installation please send us a support request via the button at the bottom right of this website.

Sorry to hear that! The download links provided at the time of purchase remain active for one week before automatically deactivating. We offer an online backup option at the time of purchase for $3.95, which will keep the links open for a year. However we recommend backing up your files by simply copying the entire “Cinematic Studio Series” folder to an external backup HD. To re-install, simply copy the folder back to your preferred location and re-add the library in Kontakt if necessary. In case of an emergency, we will re-activate your links for a fee of $7.50 to cover bandwidth and admin costs.

CSS isn’t designed to work with notation programs, as it relies on an intricate keyswitching and expression system which notation programs often don’t support. There are some 3rd party programs which aim to make Kontakt libraries compatible with notation, but we don’t offer support or officially endorse these efforts.

Yes, if you purchase Cinematic Studio Strings you are automatically given the option to add Cinematic Studio Solo Strings for US$199 ($100 off) and/or Cinematic Studio Piano for half price ($34.50). Alternatively If you purchase Cinematic Studio Solo Strings first, please contact us via the Helpdesk for a discount coupon for $100 off the price of Cinematic Studio Strings.